Improvement in cigarettes



' UNITED STATES PATENT OF FIo 'GHARLES Gr. EMERY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

.IMPROVEMENT IN CIGA RETTES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,859, dated March 5, 1878 application filed January 9, 1878.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. Ell/LERY, of Brooklyn, in the .county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Cigarettes, and the covers or wrappers of the same, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to the manufacture of what are known as cigarettes, the same being composed of a quantity of out or granulated tobacco rolled MW thin unsized paper.

It is well known that the paper heretofore in general use for wrappers or covers of cigarettes is of so light a texture, and so fragile and absorbent, as to readily disintegrate and go to pieces from the action of the saliva upon it, leaving the loose tobacco in the mouth of the smoker. This is very disagreeable" to many smokers, besides being the reverse of economy, as nearly a third of the cigarette is wasted.

To avoid the above defects various mouthpieces have been devised -for cigarettes, comprising paper saturated with p a rafline and other inflammable waxen substances; but these have been too expensive when applied as mouth-pieces, and, if applied to the whole wrapper, make it inflammable, which is highly objectionable.

My invention seeks to produce a wrapper or cover for a cigarette of paper which shall be light, tough, and strong, and capable of withstanding the action of the saliva at least as long as is required to consume the cigarette. It shall be rather slow than quick of combustion than the ordinary cigarette-paper, and less unpleasant to the taste and smell in burning. In addition, the wrapper prepared according to my invention is repellent to water, or is in only a veryslight degree absorbent, and thus the tobacco of the cigarette, which is one of the greatest absorbents known, is entirely protected from the dampness of the atmosphere.

My invention consists, essentially, in a cigarette whose wrapper is of light, thin paper,

or similar fibrous covering, the surface or surfaces of which paper, or its fibers, are coated with a thin pellicle or coat of some combustible but not inflammable gum or resinous substance not soluble in the saliva, but soluble in alcohol, ether, or other similar volatile vehicle, substantially as hereinafter specified.

In preparing my improved cigarette-wrappers I preferably employ clarified or bleached shellac as the coating material; but any other material possessing substantially the qualities herein set forth may be used in its stead. To apply this material I generally make a weak solution thereof in alcohol or ether, and

then brush this solution lightly over some thin-unsized paper, preferring that known to the trade as ricepaper. The solvent penetrates the pores of the paper and thoroughly saturates it, leaving, when it evaporates, an almost imperceptible skin'or pellicle of shellac behind. This skin, while it is or should be too thin to affect the supplenes's or flexibility of the paper, or even to prevent slight capillarity when applied to the tongue, adds greatly to the strength of the paper when it is under the influence of the saliva, and prevents its disintegration.

The presence of the shellac rather retards than hurries combustion, and in some degree destroys the disagreeable taste and odor of the burning paper. Indeed, I contemplate perfuming the solution, or combining with the gum used a small quantity of some aromatic gum or resin which will give off a pleasant odor when burning.

Very few non-inflammable gums, resins, or resinoids will answer my purpose, owing to their disagreeable odor or taste. Of course, those which are comparatively tasteless and inoffensively odorous will be preferred-as benzoin, piney damma-r, or myrrhbut answer so well as shellac.

Having thus described my invention, I wish it understood that I am well aware that paper has before been coated with gums or resins dissolved in alcohol, and I make no claim to this; but

What I do claim is 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a cigarette the wrapper of which is composed of a thin paper, or similar fibrous covering, rendered saliva-proof by applying to it a solution none of shellac, or equivalent slowly-combustible In witness whereof I have hereunto signed gum, resinoid, or material, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

2. As an improved article of manufacture,

cigarette-Wrapper paper made saliva-proof by applying to it a coating or solution of shellac, or equivalent slowly-combustible gum or other substance substantially as herein specified.

my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES Gr. EMERY.

Witnesses:

HENRY OoNNETr, XV. G. EMERY. 

